News/Events

The First Maryland Techrawl Showcased 21 Technology Companies

ShapeShot wins the 60-second pitch competition

BALTIMORE, MD -- (12/23/09) - Baltimore City's technology incubator, the Emerging Technology Center (ETC), announced today that ShapeShot won the first Maryland TechCrawl, a technology show and tell event that was held on December 16, 2009.

Entrepreneurs had 60 seconds to pitch their company to any attendee that steps up to the "plate." The ETC's Board of Directors judged the company pitches. ShapeShot, created by Direct Dimensions, is the 3D version of a photographic snapshot, was the winner of the pitch competition and was awarded $500, donated by mp3car.com and SmartLogic Solutions.

At the first Maryland TechCrawl, 21 local technology companies presented their products or services. The event draw people from the Baltimore - Washington, D.C. region, bringing startup companies, investors, executives, community connectors and local media together to forge partnerships, increase visibility and showcase the new technologies.

"Success or failure is often about something as simple as making the first connection: an investor, attorney, consultants, partner or potential employee." said Ann Lansinger, President of ETC. "That's what TechCrawl was all about - generating exposure for the area's tech companies in the hopes of making the right connection."

"We created a new start-up business within our existing business, Direct Dimensions and we are experiencing some of the same challenges as a brand new start-up," said Michael Raphael, President & Chief Engineer of ShapeShot. "We need exposure, customer feedback, practice of our message, and especially responses from potential investors and partners - which the Maryland TechCrawl provided us, and with virtually no cost or downside to us at all."

The event, attended by over 200 people, was organized by ETC and it's two incubator companies; mp3car.com and SmartLogic Solutions.

ETC is planning on hosting the Maryland TechCrawl annually following the success of this first event.

ETC, mp3car.com and SmartLogic Solutions have shot a 60-second video for the event on Maryland Techcrawl's website (www.mdtechcrawl.com).

The ETC, a venture of the Baltimore Development Corporation, is a non-profit business incubator focused on growing early-stage technology and biotechnology companies. The ETC promotes economic development, providing business, technical, and networking connections to help these companies grow and prosper - adding to both the job and tax base of Baltimore City. To date, ETC client companies have received over $819 million in funding and have been issued over 200 patents. Since 1999 ETC has provided assistance to 165 companies; 77% of its graduate clients are still in business.